Scaevola plant named ‘Bonscablue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘Bonscablue’, characterized by its compact, mounded and semi-trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; dark violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bonscablue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola, botanically known as Scaevola aemula, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonscablue’.

The new Scaevola is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Scaevola cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Scaevola originated from an open-pollination in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in March/April, 2003 of a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified as code number 00-38.24, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Bonscablue was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since December, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Bonscablue has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonscablue’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonscablue’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola:

-   -   1. Compact, mounded and semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Dark violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more compact and denser than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula cultivar Cool Sapphire, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Scaevola differed from plants of the cultivar Cool Sapphire in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Cool Sapphire.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola had shorter internodes than plants         of the cultivar Cool Sapphire.     -   3. Stems of plants of the new Scaevola were pubescent whereas         stems of plants of the cultivar Cool Sapphire were glabrous.     -   4. Plants of the new Scaevola had shorter leaves than plants of         the cultivar Cool Sapphire.     -   5. Plants of the new Scaevola had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Cool Sapphire.     -   6. Plants of the new Scaevola were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Cool Sapphire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Scaevola, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonscablue’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Bonscablue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in containers in an outdoor nursery during the summer and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were about five months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula cultivar Bonscablue. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number 00-38.24, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Scaevola aemula, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, mounded and             semi-trailing plant habit. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, lateral branches             potentially forming at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 14.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 41.7 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 22.9 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B overlain with 200B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat. Flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing reproductive organs. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arise from leaf axils. Flowers face mostly outwardly. Freely             flowering habit, typically about eleven flowers per lateral             branch.         -   Flowering time.—Plants begin flowering after about four             weeks and flower continuously from spring to late autumn in             Australia. Flowers typically last about a week on the plant.             Flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elongated ovate. Length: About 1.7 cm.             Diameter: About 2.6 mm. Color: Close to N77D.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.8 cm by 3.1 cm. Depth: About             2.1 cm. Tube length: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter: About 4             mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, fused at base. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Length, above tube: About             1.6 cm. Width, above tube: About 5 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to N87A; towards the             base, 154D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to N87C; longitudinal central stripe, 145D. Throat:             Close to 154B; venation, close to N79B. Tube: Close to 154D;             venation, close to N79B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: Two per flower. Length: About 7.4 mm.             Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About five. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About             2.6 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 174B. Pollen: Scarce.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.4 cm. Style color: Close to 157A. Stigma shape:             Oblong. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to             144A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Scaevola have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Scaevola. 

1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘Bonscablue’ as illustrated and described. 